I’d like to start by wishing you all the happiest of holidays, whichever ones you should choose to celebrate. Not to play favorites, but seeing as today is Christmas Day, I want to wish you a Merry Christmas as well. My family finished unwrapping our gifts early this morning, and we just finished up a lunch of delectable glazed Christmas ham. Such may seem obligatory on blogs such as mine, but I’ve just got to show you my loot for this year.  And so, without further ado…

Now I know what you’re thinking…well, I really don’t, but it serves my purposes to pretend that I do. Anyway, as you can plainly see, there isn’t much in the way of otaku goods to be found here. I wrote a long list this year and told my family to pick a few things; I usually ask for a few specific items, but because of that I haven’t really been surprised all that much in recent years.  I think my family decided to play it safe and get me things readily available from stores and websites they already knew and trusted, which precluded most of my less American requests. That’s not to say that this wasn’t a good Christmas; I got plenty of wonderful gifts:

First up is the new Zelda game, Spirit Tracks. I’ve been a Zelda fan since I played Ocarina of Time when I was little, and I can’t wait to see what this installment holds in store.

Next is Clannad Collection 2, the only anime I received this Christmas. ADV is distributing the series in America, albeit undubbed. I’m fine with this, as I prefer subs in most cases, and the original voice work is simply amazing for this series.   I was given Collection 1 for my birthday a few months back, and this DVD finished the first season.  I hope to buy the After Story DVDs in the near future.

I’ve heard nothing but praise for this game from friends, and I very much enjoyed the first installment. I’m intrigued by the use of Renaissance Italy as the setting this time around.

This was another recommendation by friends, and from what I’ve seen of it thus far it should prove quite impressive.

I’ve nearly run out of room on my shelf for PS3 games, but I hear that this one is a more than worthy addition to any gamer’s repertoire. Prototype was another option on my list, but I didn’t really hold one over the other. Should I get that game eventually as well?

What Christmas is complete without gift cards? $25 to Amazon, $25 to Barnes & Noble, $25 to Shell gas stations, $10 to iTunes, and a year of AAA membership. Yes, AAA membership. It takes a certain kind of person to give someone a AAA card for Christmas, but luckily for him I am that person’s son, and I loved it. My car is a ‘95, and it’s set to crumble to dust any day now.  Also, the Shell card wasn’t actually a Christmas present; someone I tutored a few times gave it to me a few days ago in thanks. Thoughtful, no?

Can’t go wrong with tea!

Or hot chocolate. My brother got quite a lot of coffee beans and the like, so we’ll have no shortage of hot beverages for quite some time, it seems. Not that I have a problem with that.

I got some chocolates and candy canes as stocking stuffers, along with that iTunes gift card from before. Note that those are the good kind of chocolate coins, in that I’ve already eaten a lot of them. Also in my stocking…

Chapstick. Santa knows me well, it seems.

Sparkling pomegranate juice. I wanted to photograph everything before I started using them, but I couldn’t quite help myself. I fear it may somehow be too delicious for my own good.

A cold-weather vest from my father. I’ve never really been a vest person, but it was still a nice surprise.

A scarf. I would have balked at the idea of using a precious Christmas gift opportunity on winter clothes when I was younger, but this time around I asked for this. Some would call that a sign of maturity. I say it’s a sign that my neck gets cold often.

Every year my parents try to get one particularly expensive or lavish gift for me and my siblings.  The only such item my parents knew I am aspiring to possess was a DSLR camera, which is of course far above their intended price range for such a gift and far beyond what I was expecting. Rather than take a chance on some expensive figure I might not want, they opted for this:

I think they may have been a bit worried about being unable to choose a specific gift, but I couldn’t have been happier. I’ve been saving money for months now in the hopes of making some big purchases myself. Had they actually gotten me what I am after, not only would they have spent far too much, but it also might have felt as though I had been working so hard for nothing.  This certificate helps me toward my goal and maintains the validity of my efforts. I doubt my parents thought of all that, but I made sure they knew I was happy with it.

That about wraps it up for my Christmas loot this year. What do I think?

I loved it. What else can I say? Great gifts and glazed ham go a long way. Plus, with the money from the gift certificate, the backed paychecks from all those extra pre-Christmas hours at the store, and the check I got from my grandmother (thought it best not to photograph that one) I think I may be nearly ready to make some purchases. As for what those may be, I’ll leave that for another day.

Well, as always, thanks for reading. I’ve really got to stop waiting until holidays to post, and I’m going to try to post more regularly. If I should fail, then I guess I’ll see you on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Thanks again!

The year is coming to an end, faster than ever before. I thought I’d jump on the retrospect-train and sum up my 2009 personal gaming experience. With this I’ll also attempt some kind of top 5 of the past year along with some quick reflections.

So, here I sit on christmas eve trying to think back a whole year of console gaming. Yes, 2009 meant mainly console for me as no Starcraft 2 or Diablo 3 were to find in the game store shelves. Looking back, I think it started with Killzone 2 in late february – a very ambitious first person shooter, with a production cost matching the BNP of a small country. (Well, maybe that’s over the top? But still, you get my point.)

Dutch Guerilla Games had a rough start, I must say. The beta period running the fall of 2008 had obviously not turned out the way Guerilla Games wanted. Immediately the ps-forums got flooded with complaints, mainly regarding the controls. They were referred to as sluggish, slow and unplayable. Players were fighting the controls more than the actual enemies. The acceleration curve and dead zone of the right analogue stick was like nothing I’ve never felt …in a bad way. It also had something to do with the buffering of frames to lock the frame rate at 30 fps and negate tearing. If you add a television with slow input processing (input lag) the game was virtually unplayable. The control issue was patched multiple times during the spring and finally in mid summer (if I recall correctly) Guerilla Games release a patch that almost eliminated the issue. During the whole process they payed an enormous attention to the community, in particular their producer (stand-in Q&A manager) Seb Downie.

Well, all the above problems aside, Killzone 2 was a fantastic game. It took a much longer time to get used to than traditional shooters. You almost had to reach max level in the multiplayer before you felt in control and started to climbing the scoreboards. The single player campaign didn’t leave any deep scars or lasting impressions, but is was fast, fun and did it’s job. Not diving to deep into the tech talk, but the graphics is totally mind-blowing. Still today when I insert the KZ2 disc I just get blown away. It is that good! Yes, I spent a lot of time on Killzone 2 and it’s definitely up there in the top 5 of 2009.

Later in the spring I picked up Resident Evil 5 and Street Fighter IV. Both great games that I spent a lot of time with. Well, at least with Resident Evil 5. SFIV got played, but I wouldn’t go as far to say that I really put the man hours into it. The compelling thing about RE5 was the co-op and the upgrades and weapons. It had a great replay value since you got to keep the upgrades on the next run. The graphics was good but the controls were and issue. If you haven’t played it, pick it up! It’s quite fairly priced around the web now.

Moving on to mid summer, I picked up Sucker Punch’s InFamous for the PS3. I knew it would be a good game, but man – I really, really enjoyed it. Great story and graphics, especially the animations of the main character. They really added to the feeling of control in an immersive way. Thankfully, after KZ2 and RE5 controls it was a breath of fresh air with a flawless control system. The powers and the two different paths you could choose from gave the game some additional depth. I picked the “hero” path at first, but probably enjoyed the dark side the most! The game could get a bit repetitive from time to time, but the main story line kept you going and I must say that the plot is one of the strongest this year. InFamous was no doubt one of the success stories for Sony this year and probably sold them a few extra systems.

What a ray of sunshine Batman: Arkham Asylum was for the pale, tired Batman gaming saga. Released late summer, the dark corridors of the prison island had me glued from start to finish. It virtually came from nowhere. Well the hype was huge, but I never really gave in to it. I mean, we’ve seen old abused franchises getting massacred over and over. What would rise this title above the rest? First, the story is exceptionally good. The surroundings, the battle system, the upgrades. It all feels so natural, but intuitive at the same time. The pace is great, you can easily switch between full on beat’em up style action to a more stealthy approach. Good boss fights too, well maybe not that last one, but the rest are totally above average. All in all, a fantastic game that will give any player, Batman fan or not, many hours of thrilling detective style beat’em up action.

Not getting to deep into details of the next two titles, Uncharted 2 and Modern Warfare 2. Both games insanely anticipated, which we all knew would be massive in terms of pure sales. Modern Warfare surpassed even the wildest calculations in this aspect, grossing about $550 million dollars the first five days. Is it good? Yes… and no. It has since it’s release had me hooked, putting in about 6 days of total play in the multiplayer. That is much, even for me. The multiplayer is great, struggled with some hacks and cheats, but even so, it’s amazing. I like the maps more than its prequel’s and basically the whole idea is just more of the stuff that people loved in the first Modern Warfare.

However, it can get a bit… how can I put this? Random? Let me explain. Infinity Ward has jammed the multiplayer smack full of killstreaks rewards and air support. Basically there is always something flying around killing you, rockets falling from the skies etc. This can all be countered of course with various perks and weapons, but it gives a certain randomness to some game modes. Search & Destroy for instance can get a bit shady if some lucky bastard picks up a chopper gunner in a care package. It somehow negates the shooting part of the ginormous shooter.

The single player campaign is nothing special, they missed my mark by miles on what is an alluring campaign. Even to the extent that I just didn’t feel compelled to finish it. Yes, it missed by that much. Luckily the multiplayer will have me playing for a long time. Probably until they release the third installment.

Uncharted 2 however delivered a superb single player campaign. The graphics are insane – I’ve never seen anything like it! It might be on par with Killzone 2 tech wise, but the style, colors and over all presentation is just something way above everything else. From the first steps in the snow on the starting level to the rich green jungle of the final parts you are just amazed by the level of work put into the graphics in this game. The story is fun, fast paced and driving. The different surroundings really add to the overall diversity and gives the player the variation needed to keep going. Naughty Dog  kept the core from Uncharted 1 and added and fine tuned the package to a great adventure action game. I actually spent some hours in the surprisingly good multiplayer section as well. Varied game modes, great co-op missions and overall a fun experience! I think it will keep a player base for quite some time.

Now to the surprise of the year. Totally went under the radar of many gamers, but I managed to get a copy imported to Europe from the States. Yes, I’m talking about Demon’s Souls. The dark western style RPG developed by From Software and abandoned by Sony. Thankfully Atlus USA took the game in and released it stateside giving the western gaming community a chance to play this wonder of a game. I can’t really begin to tell you all – buy it, play it, you will love it. It’s like nothing you’ve ever played, well at least not in a long time. In a thick atmosphere you will face the darkest and most terrifying monsters any dimension has to offer. It’s hard, but in a rewarding way. You will find yourself standing on the castle walls looking down on the enemies ahead, wondering what type of attacks they have, which weapons you should pick etc. It’s hard, but only if you are reckless. And belive me, you won’t be!

A totally fresh take on multiplayer interactivity gives you the feeling that you are totally left out there, alone to face the terrors of your nightmares. You can read messages on the ground from other players and you can get invaded by black phantoms, which actually are other players entering your game to kill you. The multiplayer system is way deeper than this, but I don’t want to get into all of it. The story is simple, yet captivating. The character is perfectly animated, the weapons look great and the level design is just top-notch for this kind of game. Go out and get it now. Demon’s Souls nail the top spot on my top 5 list, mainly because it came from no where, didn’t get the attention it deserved (by far) and gave me 60+ hours of total enjoyment.

So to sum up my personal gaming experiences of 2009 in a neat little top 5 list:
1. Demon’s Souls (From Software/Atlus) – PlayStation 3
2. Uncharted 2 (Naughty Dog/Sony) – PlayStation 3
3. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Infinity Ward/Activision) – Multi
4. Killzone 2 (Guerilla Games/Sony) – PlayStation 3
5. InFamous (Sucker Punch/Sony) – PlayStation 3

Wow, what a year for Sony! To add a few notes to this quite extensive post. I still haven’t played Borderlands got it still wrapped in plastic here, looking forward to that. I still haven’t gotten Assassins Creed 2, which despite the varied impressions I’ve gotten from fellow gamers still has me interested in a closer look. There also are a few games that definitely deserve a mention: Flower, Crash Commando, Battlefield 1943 and PixelJunk Shooter to name a few. All great games of 2009.

Now, I’m going to enjoy a break from gaming to celebrate the wonders of christmas with my family. Catch you in 2010, and what a gaming year that is going to be!

One of the most popular and recognizable lines of watches ever created by Rolex has to be the Day Date line. It’s main signature is all yellow gold bracelet and face. This hugely prominent luxury design has been a consistent top seller for Rolex for many years. It gained particular infamy and exposure when it was worn by the late Tupac Shakur during his untimely death. Mr. Shakur was sporting this luxurious rolex watch when he was shot down while riding down the Las Vegas strip in the passenger side of his associates mercedes. At that moment Tupac ceased to become a popular rapper and became, like many other young artists who unfortunately died at a young age, a legend. Nothing engraves a watch into the hallmarks of history quite like being worn by a musical legend as he is being shot down. In order to sport this infamous Rolex watch you will need to dish out around $25 thousand dollars. If that price seems a little too steep for your pockets, then your next best option is to purchase a high quality replica rolex watch. A high quality swiss made replica rolex day date will run you around $499, but it is a small price to pay to sport this legendary design.

And The Winner Is…..

by GrathiusXR and dkpatriarch

© 2009 Arthur Kotsopoulos and David Hilton

2009 has basically come and gone and this year saw OXCGN.com go places which we never thought we would go in such a short time as a Community Xbox Website. We’ve ranked as low as 60k on the global Alexa ranking system, though we have leveled off at 120k, and pulled off a Google Page Rank of 3/10, both of which are huge tasks for any indie game site, especially one that is just over 2 years old.

2009 saw OXCGN attend E3 ‘09 in L.A., various THQ, Ubisoft, Rockstar, Microsoft and other events all around Sydney and getting to play and see a plethora of new games from the PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS, PSP, Wii and of course the iPhone.

Over the past week fellow writers have discussed possibilities for OXCGN Game Of The Year and as well as announcing our final choices for GOTY and Runner Up, a few of the staff have given their personal Top 10 list of GOTY contenders.  We have also offered readers a chance to vote on their own personal favourite here.

OXCGN’s GOTY was chosen based on where staff placed certain titles as their Number #1 choice and Runner Up as their 2nd and included all gaming platforms.

So without further ado let us take a look at OXCGN’s Overall Game Of The Year for 2009 as well as look at staff members’ Top 10 GOTY lists for 2009.

OXCGN’s Overall Game Of The Year:

ASSASSIN’S CREED 2 (360/PS3)

While conspiracy theorists from a certain other console will no doubt say we chose this because it was also on the 360, the truth is that we held an open and honest staff discussion with all games from all platforms considered and the clear winner was Assassin’s Creed 2.

AC2 has taken all that was fantastic about the original and fixed most of the negative issues to present a gaming experience that gives the gamer an open-world full of choice, while still following a focused narrative full of betrayals, conspiracies, and conflict.

It has an inspired historical setting, an amazing atmosphere for each real-world location that changes with time of day (or night), and this time has a huge  diversity in gameplay from using courtesans or money to distract guards, to free-running after pickpockets, to assassinating enemies from haystacks or ledges, to RPG-like elements like upgrading weapons, clothes, and even making money from shops in your villa.

This game is something special that appeals to a variety of game players and deserves the Game Of The Year title and we can’t wait to see what Assassin’s Creed 3 brings and where and when it will be set.

RUNNER UP:

UNCHARTED 2 (PS3)

This amazing PS3 exclusive has a tight story with excellent voice acting and humour and lots of action, while taking the gamer on a journey through a great diversity of visually spectacular environments.  The game has great pacing, with areas that involved jumping, climbing and swinging, areas involving puzzles, areas with lots of shooting action, and some fighting from vehicles like trucks and trains.  Like AC2 there was an amazing level of detail (I still love the footprints in the realistic snow).

While Uncharted 2 was many people’s Game Of The Year (including so far our readers on our GOTY poll) it was a primarily linear experience where AC2 offered more choice in mission, open environments, as well as the primary path which was also satisfying (though its dialogue was not as well written as in Uncharted 2).  Uncharted 2 was an extremely enjoyable action Indiana Jones-like romp that all gamers should have been able to enjoy but lacked the layers of gameplay that AC2 provided.

AC2 had to deal with complex game dynamics like crowd interaction and open-world climbing everywhere in-game while Uncharted 2 had few NPCs to worry about and only limited vertical pathways on the environment.  On the other hand, Uncharted 2 has multiplayer and an amazing rendering of distant vistas.

While some still complain about AC2’s fighting style, Uncharted 2’s fairly loose controls and camera in some places were not always helpful.  Still, a very close second.

OXCGN.com Top 10 GOTY Lists:

Shadow Wave’s GOTY List:

1. Uncharted 2 (PS3)
   
2. Resident Evil 5 (360/ PS3/ PC)
   
3. Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition (360/iPhone/PC)
   
4. Assassins Creed 2 (360/PC/PS3)
   
5. Batman: Arkham Asylum (360/PC/PS3)
   
6. Brutal Legend (360/PS3)
   
7. Forza Motorsport 3 (360)
   
8. Halo 3: ODST (360)
   
9. Shadow Complex (360)
   
10. Modern Warfare 2 (360/PS3/PC)

As you can see Shadow Wave, who is an avid multiplatform gamer, has a  Top 10 GOTY list of titles that range from multi-platform, to console exclusive and iPhone. His list includes Sony’s dominating Uncharted 2, Infinity Ward’s controversial Modern Warfare 2 and Tim Schafer’s brilliant envisioned Brutal Legend.

There’s no denying some titles on there as expected GOTY material, but certain titles ranking over some of the bigger ones shows that no matter how much hype is behind a certain game it doesn’t mean that everyone will see it the same way.  A good XBLA game in a different genre can be more enjoyable than a AAA high cost production.

GrathiusXR’s GOTY List:

1. Assassins Creed 2 (360/PS3)
   
2. Batman Arkham: Asylum (360)
   
3. Borderlands (360/PS3)
   
4. Red Faction: Guerrilla (360/PS3)
   
5. Halo 3: ODST (360)
   
6. Forza Motorsport 3 (360)
   
7. Modern Warfare 2 (360/PS3/PC)
   
8. Shadow Complex (360)
   
9. Plants vs Zombies (PC)
   
10. Left 4 Dead 2 (360/PC)

GrathiusXR has the disadvantage of not having access to his brother’s PS3 so his Top 10 GOTY  features mainly 360 based games but also a few multiplatforms and PC based titles. It’s interesting to see that his list, as compared to Shadow Wave’s, ranks certain titles higher and also has different ones such as THQ’s “thank god” sequel, and 3rd in the franchise, Red Faction: Guerrilla.

It featured such a destructible environment that was not only fun but made the long wait for the end of year rush all the more sweeter. This Top 10 shows what titles he thought brought something extra to their genre and were at the same time enjoyable and worth purchasing.

TWODOGSz’s GOTY List:

1. Assassins Creed 2 (360/PS3)
   
2. Uncharted 2 (PS3)
   
3. Plants vs Zombies (PC)
   
4. Forza Motorsport 3 (360)
   
5. Borderlands (360/PS3)
   
6. The Beatles: Rock Band (360/PS3)
   
7. Batman: Arkham Asylum (360/PS3)
   
8. Dragon Age: Origins (PC)
   
9. Shadow Complex (360)
   
10. DJ Hero (360/PS3)

TWODOGSz has a list that ranks games which offered him a unique experience over those that impressed him for a few hours and which he never touched again. Noticeable is the PC title Plants vs Zombies, which once released he never stopped talking about. I mean seriously, Plants vs Zombies- you can’t get more simple than that.

Also features is The Beatles: Rock Band which he first saw at E3′09. Yes, he is a fan of the Beatles, but that made the game that much sweeter to play come release.  He has also included an XBLA game, Shadow Complex, which really pushed how involved and visual a ’simple’ Arcade title can be.

Sutton Dagger’s GOTY List:

1. Assassins Creed 2 (360/PS3)
   
2. Uncharted 2 (PS3)
   
3. Borderlands (360/PS3/PC)
   
4. Killzone 2 (PS3)
   
5. Banjo Tooie (XBLA)
   
6. Valkyria Chronicles (PS3)
   
7. New Super Mario Bros. (Wii)
   
8. Halo 3: ODST (360)
   
9. Left 4 Dead 2 (360)
   
10. Tales of Vesperia (360)

Next up is Sutton Dagger who has a GOTY list which represents that certain style of game that he loves to sit back and relax with.

Some good old JRPG’s like Tales of Vesperia and Valkyria Chronicles as well as a classic in the Banjo-Tooie title, which saw itself come back to life on XBLA this year, feature in his list.

With a nice updated HD experience, Banjo brought back some good memories for Sutton back when the N64 housed some of the greatest games to ever have graced our lounge rooms.

AXIS of Reality GOTY List:

1. Assassin’s Creed 2 (360/PS3)
   
2. Uncharted 2 (PS3)
   
3. Batman: Arkham Asylum (360/PS3/PC)
   
4. Modern Warfare 2 (360/PS3/PC)
   
5. Forza Motorsport 3 (360)
   
6. Infamous (PS3)
   
7. New Super Mario Bros Wii (Wii)
   
8. Resident Evil 5 (360/PS3/PC)
   
9. GTA: Chinatown Wars (PSP/DS)
   
10. Left 4 Dead 2 (360/PC)

AXIS of Reality is the only person to list Sony’s inFamous as he saw something special in the game.  inFamous was a great PS3 exclusive gaining great reviews and showing what the PS3 could deliver.

Of course that alongside GTA: Chinatown Wars for the PSP or DS were actually better than what most probably thought they would be.

Other than that it’s the usual suspects in his Top 10 but games that more than deserve to be mentioned for what they have achieved.

dkpatriarch’s GOTY List:

1. Assassin’s Creed 2 (360/PS3)
2. Uncharted 2 (PS3)
3. Flower (PSN)
4. Resident Evil 5 (360/PS3/PC)
5. Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition (360/iPhone/PC)
6. Call of Juarez: Bound In Blood (360/PS3/PC)
7. Resistance: Retribution (PSP)
8. Halo 3: ODST (360)
9. Forza 3 (360)
10. New Super Mario Bros (Wii)

dkpatriarch’s choices reflect his focus on game narrative and interesting game environments, like Assassin’s Creed 2, Uncharted 2 and Call of Juarez, and experiences that often remind him of his gaming past, like Monkey Island (XBLA).

His family gaming is reflected in the innovative Flower (PSN), which his wife and sisters-in-laws have also fallen in love with, and New Super Mario Bros (Wii) and Halo 3: ODST which allow at-home local multiplayer mayhem, something a lot of games in the online age have forgotten.

Throw in some handheld gaming like Resistance: Retribution (PSP) and you can see that dkpatriarch plays what suits his interests rather than what is supposed to currently be popular, shying away from some big games like inFamous, Left4Dead 2 and Prototype.

There you have it: OXCGN’s Overall GOTY

plus our staff’s GOTY Top 10 Lists.

Why not have your say?  OXCGN’s Reader’s GOTY 2009 Poll: Click HERE

We leave you with what has been a great year for gaming and our site with a big thank you to all our readers for visiting, and to the developers and publishers who helped us out this year.

2010 looks to be another massive year for not only the 360, PS3 and Wii but also the PC.  It’s going to be one crazy year and we are all excited

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

about the sequels and new IP’s going to be released. We suggest saving up the money now if you want to buy those sweet Collectors Editions for the major titles in the first four months of 2010.

In the meantime, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from OXCGN!

© 2009 Arthur Kotsopoulos and David Hilton

• Other games in genre at discount $’s for ALL OXCGN readers + Bonus Points

Franchises. Sequels. Big summer movie games. Despite the glut of that familiar games that crowds retail shelves each year, gamers witnessed a respectable outpouring of original titles in 2009. Developers know that making a new intellectual property isn’t easy, and most publishers won’t take risks on them often. But creators, executives, and gamers all know the reward of making a successful original game is worth the most satisfying endeavor. After all, Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2, Grand Theft Auto IV, even New Super Mario Bros. Wii were all once original gamess. Here are my picks for the best new original games of 2009.

Who made the cut? Check VentureBeat.com for the full story.

Picking the top 5 movies of 2009? Easy. You’re pulling from one source; two if you count direct to video as something glaringly different than the traditional “starts at the cinema” model. Try picking 5 games – do you stick to the Xbox 360 and the PS3? What about the Wii? Or the PSP, or DS? Don’t forget about PC…

So, rather than applying some sort of scientific process to set all consoles and games on a level playing field, we’re splitting it up this year; say hello to your top games of 2009, plus a ton more notable runners-up!

Best Multiplatform game of 2009

Batman: Arkham Asylum

Runners Up: Assassin’s Creed 2, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Dragon Age: Origins, Ghostbusters: The Video Game, Resident Evil 5

Big loser: Terminator: Salvation – The Video Game

Batman: Arkham Asylum almost lost this very close race for game of the year. In 20 years of gaming, this title holds the distinct honour of being the only game I’ve ever had a save file go corrupt on. Needless to say, my first thought when considering the game was how I was forced to replay a game after getting through 79% of it beforehand.

My second thought? I barely noticed I’d played through most of the sequences before! Two words on why: Mark Hamill. Or, Kevin Conroy. How about Arleen Sorkin? Or simply, “HOLY NOSTALGIA, (Batman!)”.

The plot is stellar, the voice actors are literally ripped from our childhood – come on, you know Batman: The Animated Series is a total classic – and…finally…it’s a Batman game that actually makes you feel like Batman. Moreover, it’s a superhero game finally done right. With a sequel recently announced, Batman fans cannot be happier right now.

Arkham Asylum narrowly beat out Assassin’s Creed 2, though the two share strong plots and simple controls that are easy to learn and hard to master, and Ghostbusters: The Video Game which relied on a ton of nostalgia itself. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 was almost up there due to addictive multiplayer modes and a non-stop (though short) single-player campaign. Dragon Age: Origins gets a nod purely for its gay sex option* in my book, and since I’m being biased, Resident Evil 5 also gets tipped for finally tying together all the series’ loose plot threads. Mostly.

The big loser of the year? Terminator: Salvation – The Video Game. Hands down. If you want to learn how to very loosely tie a game to a film franchise, and then rush it out the door so quickly a first-year game developer could have done a better job, look no further. Avoid it all costs unless you’re looking for some relatively achievements/trophies.

Best Xbox 360 exclusive game of 2009

Halo 3: ODST

Runners Up: 1 vs 100, Forza Motorsport 3, Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City, Shadow Complex, Trials HD

Big loser: Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts

The problem with console-exclusive awards this year is that there weren’t too many exclusives. THAT IS A GOOD THING. Still, Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo all need their exclusives, so let’s start the awarding. From the Microsoft camp, Halo 3: ODST gets the gong. It’s  another Halo; not particularly innovative in its single player campaign, but still a lot of fun. The multiplayer, however, is why this award is being issued; if you haven’t played the Firefight mode yet, you’re missing out. It’s fun with a partner, and even better as 4-player co-op. Throwing Nathan Fillion, Alan Tudyk, and Adam Baldwin (all from Firefly), Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica), and Nolan North (every single video game on the planet, it seems – most notably Uncharted, Assassin’s Creed, and Prince of Persia) into the mix surely didn’t hurt either. The star power and replayability just put it past the post when compared to Forza Motorsport 3.

The Xbox Live Arcade beats the PlayStation Network and its offerings hands down. The best of the crop this year? 1 vs 100 looks like a hoot; it’s shame Australians don’t get to find out, first-hand. Trials HD is another easy to learn, hard to master puzzle game – you’ll lose hours on it before you realise – and Shadow Complex is an old gamer’s side-scroller brought into the present. On the DLC front, Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City is literally a standalone game and shouldn’t just be considered DLC; hopefully we’ll see more of that type of content rather than extra costume packs and other money-wasters.

Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts was the big loser; a celebrated game series simultaneously reintroduced and brought back fifteen steps. A decent start was crushed by a crap 3D world and the unnecessary inclusion of VEHICLES (yay, vehicles!) and shows you just how wrong Rare got it.

Best Sony PS3 exclusive game of 2009

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Runners Up: inFamous, Killzone 2, God of War Collection, Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time

Big loser: EyePet

If only Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull was handled by Naughty Dog; we might have gotten something closer to what Uncharted 2: Among Thieves was and less (spoiler alert!) aliens.

The gameplay is solid, there’s a very rich multiplayer mode that doesn’t feel tacked on, and we have a chauvinistic, cocky, pigheaded bastard of a main hero…who you will LOVE. As a fellow reviewer has pointed out, “Uncharted 2 is a 10/10 game after two minutes of the first level.” Much like Modern Warfare 2, you’re constantly running, jumping, and fighting with zero let up; it’s an action movie that you get the privilege of controlling.

To summarise: this is the game that makes me want to buy (or at least borrow) a PS3. No other game will ever make me say that.

inFamous was solid, but releasing it at the same time as Prototype drew too many comparisons to make this a contender for Sony’s exclusive prize. Killzone 2 is a solid shooter, and Sony’s answer to Halo; well worth picking up. Hitting up that familiar (especially this year!) sense of nostalgia, the God of War collection is worth a purchase if you’re new to the series and getting drawn-in by the marketing for God of War III; the updated graphics make it appealing to old fans as well. Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time delivers another solid sequel the addictively fun series.

I know the Blonde Lusty Team loves it, but the big loser for Sony is EyePet. Imagine what that game could have been if released with Sony’s motion controller/camera bundle, codenamed Gem, next year…

Best Nintendo Wii exclusive game of 2009

New Super Mario Bros. Wii

Runners Up: House of the Dead: Overkill, Mad World, Dead Space: Extraction

Big loser: Nintendo in general. Can we move on now?

I’ve already admitted to being biased, so I’ll flat out say it: the Wii is useless. An SD console in this day and age is enough to warrant that claim; the introduction of Microsoft’s Project Natal and Sony’s Gem systems next year is the icing on that cake. The amount of party games and other shovelware is beyond ridiculous and Nintendo’s ever-slipping market share is starting to show that consumers are clueing into that fact.

That gripe aside, a lot of games are riding the nostalgia wave this year, and New Super Mario Bros. Wii is the most unashamedly so. This is Super Mario Bros. 3, but with 4-player multiplayer!

…and that’s all I got. I don’t need to sell this game, do I? You’ve already bought it.

Our runners up? House of the Dead: Overkill is perfectly tongue-in-cheek and extremely fun and funny to play. Mad World seemed to get lost amongst party games and didn’t get the respect it deserved (try putting it out for the Xbox 360 and PS3, Sega!), and Dead Space Extraction is another solid on-rails shooter that has spectacular graphics; forget you’re spazzing out with motion controls for a second and you might think you’re playing an HD console.

The big loser? I think we’ve already covered that. To conclude: Nintendo, this isn’t 2006. A vitality sensor isn’t an innovation, it’s pointless. How about an HD console in the very near future, and less gimmicks in general?

Best handheld game of 2009

Scribblenauts

Runners Up: Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, Canabalt, Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story, Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box

Big loser: Every single app on Facebook that doubles as a game.

For all the loathing I focus on Nintendo for the Wii, I’ll throw them praise for their handheld ventures; the DS is actually pretty cool. Most of our handheld entries come from that console, but Scribblenauts takes the prize this year very easily. Sure, it might be a bit rough around the edges at times, but the concept is unbeatable. Just try to find a word in the dictionary that doesn’t have an in-game model. You won’t. Fans of puzzle games and those with great imagination will lose themselves in this game.

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars gets a mention purely because any game that gives you an updated version of Drug Wars is a-ok in my book. Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story gets a nod for its creative setup, as does Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box.

If you can’t tell, by this point of our proceedings, I’m (i)Phoning it in, so the last nod goes to Canabalt – go grab it from the App Store and you will not be sorry. It’s simple, but hilariously fun – check it out online first if you don’t believe me (and Merry Christmas! Don’t say I didn’t get you anything.).

The big loser? Technically not a handheld device, but accessible on mobiles, I’m lumping together every single “game” on Facebook and giving it one huge raspberry. I’m looking specifically at you, Farmville!

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So that’s it for 2009. I’m by no means an expert when it comes to Nintendo or Sony, or arguably Microsoft or video games in general, so if you thought I got it wrong (or right!), let’s hear why in the comments. I’m also very keen to see your own personal top 5 and bottom 5 games for the year, so what are you waiting for? Put ‘em up!

*And nope, I wasn’t kidding. Here’s Jimmy Kimmel to explain and provide you with yet another Christmas pressie — probably NSFW, but not too bad.

2009 has, in my opinion, been one of the best years ever to be a gamer.

With so many great games arriving and with plenty of 2008’s hits (Bioshock/Fallout 3/GTA IV/Metal Gear Solid 4 etc) falling in price it’s a great time to own a PS3.

Throw the PSP resurgence into the mix and it adds up to one brilliant era for games.

Anyway, now onto the main event! The awards you’ve been waiting for…

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BEST DLC (Downloadable Content)

WINNER: Fallout 3 – Expansion Packs

Offering hours and hours more gameplay and an extended level cap to boot, the various DLC packs for Fallout 3 were well above anything else that arrived this year. Getting back into the Capital Wasteland never felt so good.

RUNNERS UP:

Killzone 2 – Maps

LittleBigPlanet – Various Costumes

Batman – Play as Joker Challenge Maps

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BEST GAME INNOVATION

WINNER: Killzone 2 (Changing Game Modes Within A Consistent Online Match)

Killzone brought the noise in more ways than one but the changing game types within one online game was pretty sweet. Meaning that just as you’d be capturing the flag (speaker) the game could switch to deathmatch (Body Count) or whatever which in turn means that no two rounds are ever the same – genius.

RUNNERS UP:

InFamous (Karma System Working Within Empire City)

Prototype (Running Up Buildings)

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Deathstreaks)

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BEST TRAILER

WINNER: Assassin’s Creed II

There were lots of amazing trailers in 2009 but for me the most impressive both visually and with respect to what the gameplay promised, was Assassin’s Creed II. A fantastic game that saw you playing through the 1400’s in Italy, the trailer showed off exactly what the game had to offer.

RUNNERS UP:

Uncharted 2

Battlefield: Bad Company 2

God Of War 3

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MOST ANTICIPATED GAME OF 2010:

WINNER: Battlefield: Bad Company 2

Heavy Rain was nailed on for this and while it’s still one of my most anticipated games of next year, playing through the beta of Battlefield: Bad Company 2 has swayed me in favour of DICE’s first person shooter. With vehicles as well as guns this one looks set to rock it come March 2010.

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BEST SOUNDTRACK (SCORE)

WINNER: Killzone 2 (Joris De Man)

There have been plenty of great scores in the games of 2009 but Killzone 2’s is awesome. ‘Helgan Forever’, the main theme, will live long in the memory – mainly due to the fact that it is a fantastic, stirring, piece of music. Brilliant throughout the game, Joris De Man’s score is a great companion to a stunning game. 

RUNNERS UP:

Uncharted 2

Infamous

Prototype

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BEST SOUNDTRACK (LICENSED)

WINNER: Dirt 2

With a soundtrack featuring the might of Elbow, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Subways, Black Tide, Ladyhawke and Queens Of The Stone Age, Dirt 2 takes pole position in the soundtrack stakes. With a nice variety of styles it says a lot when you don’t get bored of the tracks after hearing them a few times and the inventive use of music through the menus and loading screens was a great touch.

RUNNERS UP:

Motorstorm: Arctic Edge (PSP)

Wet

Brutal Legend

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BEST VOICE ACTING

WINNER: Uncharted 2

Well, what can you say about the voice acting of Uncharted 2. It has to be one of the very best performances ever given in a game. I listened to an interview in which the cast compared the experience to theatre as they were all in the same room together for all of the voicing/motion capture and boy does it show. The chemistry between all the actors involved is apparent throughout and some of the ad libbed stuff is stunning.

RUNNERS UP:

Ghostbusters: The Video Game

Wet

Batman: Arkham Ayslum

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BEST GRAPHICS

WINNER: Uncharted 2

Killzone 2 ran Uncharted 2 very, very close for this award but in the end Naughty Dog takes it on the variety of stunning locations they manage to fit into the game – especially the areas with some of the most realistic snow I’ve ever seen. The character models are superb and the animation is extremely well done. 

RUNNERS UP:

Killzone 2

Dirt 2

Batman: Arkham Asylum

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BEST SPORTS GAME

WINNER: FIFA 10

If you’d told me 18 months ago FIFA would be winning an award on my blog I would’ve thought you were insane. In tandom with the decline of PES, FIFA has risen to former glories and is now the definitive football (soccer) game. This game actually makes you think about the build up play well in advance and, even more importantly, lets you have full control over the action on the pitch.

RUNNERS UP:

Fight Night Round 4

Dirt 2

Madden 10

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BEST PSP GAME

WINNER: GTA Chinatown Wars

There have been some great titles for the PSP this year but GTA Chinatown Wars pips them all at the post for sheer volume. There is so much to do in Liberty City and while the missions are bite sized there are plenty of them to get stuck into. A cast of colourful characters (as usual) helps matters and this is a fitting entry into the GTA universe. 

RUNNERS UP:

Assassin’s Creed Bloodlines

Resistance: Retribution

LittleBigPlanet

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BEST STORYLINE

WINNER: InFamous

Infamous was a surprise hit for me as I was looking forward to Prototype a lot more. However Cole McGrath’s story of dealing with superpowers and finding out how the explosion happened was so great I played the game twice. With a few twists I didn’t see coming this game boasts a really great story. Uncharted 2 ran this close as it had a brilliant story but Infamous just pips it at the post.

RUNNERS UP:

Wet

Assassin’s Creed II

Uncharted 2

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SINGLE PLAYER GAME OF THE YEAR

WINNER: Uncharted 2

Undoubtedly the best single player game for some time, Uncharted 2 makes you feel like the star of the best action movie ever. This is one of those games where all the pieces come together so well it’s a completely seamless experience. Brilliant.

RUNNERS UP:

Infamous

Batman: Arkham Asylum

Assassin’s Creed II

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MULTIPLAYER GAME OF THE YEAR

WINNER: Killzone 2

Is there a more satisfying sound that the ping of a kill on Killzone 2? Giving the players more weight made the game feel heavier but seemingly fairer than a ‘twitch’ shooter like Modern Warfare 2. Killzone 2 is certainly the game I spent most time online with this year – clocking up in excess of 100 hours, which is a first for me. Great online fun.

RUNNERS UP:

Dirt 2

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Uncharted 2

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GAME OF THE YEAR

WINNER: Uncharted 2

Naughty Dog’s excellent Uncharted 2 is no surprise as game of the year. Having already seen it take the gong at Spike’s VGA Awards I am following suit and giving Uncharted 2 the Game Of The Year Award for 2009. A fantastic, deep gaming experience with a great multiplayer added to boot. Seriously I’d like to speak to someone who played this and didn’t like it. As a whole Uncharted 2 is the best game in years and a very worthy winner.

RUNNERS UP:

InFamous

Assassin’s Creed II

Killzone 2

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Wow, still struggling to believe we’re nearly done with 2009!

It says a lot about this year that a title as great as Batman: Arkham Asylum can be nominated for 4 awards and not win one. Quality titles abound.

It’s been an amazing year for gaming and the quality looks set to continue into 2010 with a host of great releases.

Let me know what your highlights were for 2009!

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A couple days ago, I posted a mixtape from Tragedy Tha Beast and mentioned how much I like it.  If you haven’t downloaded it yet, make sure to do that RIGHT NOW! Anyway though, I have come across this video with behind the scenes footage of Trag in the studio recording for Music of the Mind.

Thanks to the PSN the Holiday influx of new playable content is not just yet over.  This week we see the release of the latest in the Pixeljunk series with Pixeljunk Shooter promising to be just as creative yet classic as it’s predecessors.  Also, having recently announced that the PS3 will get the exclusive “Divine Edition” of the upcoming action title Dante’s Inferno, the PSN also gets first crack at the game’s demo this week almost two weeks before it shows up on XBLA.  Other demos come in the form topatoi and Mushroom Wars while full playable content compliments Pixeljunk Shooter with Frogger Returns (yes…that Frogger),  Revenge of the Wounded Dragons, and the PSone classic  Bomberman Party Edition. This week also has the Canadian release of the remaining (but this time paid) installments of the Uncharted motion comic subtitled “Eye of Indra”.

For DLC, we see a free new weapon for inFAMOUS to celebrate the game’s graduation to Greatest Hit’s status (so quickly too!) while other notables include the free Team Racing pack for Need for Speed: SHIFT and the famed nudity unlock for the Saboteur.

For the PSP we get a couple more UMD classics now available for digital download most notably two Konami favorites on the portable with  Castlevania: Dracula X Chronicles and Silent Hill Origins.  With the recent release of PS3 firmware 3.15, PSP minis are now playable in HD on your PS3 giving the collection a whole new purpose; this week we get to more addition to the minis lineup with Stand O’ Food and Battle Poker.  Sean C.


Season’s Greetings Collection
Lacking holiday spirit? The PlayStation Store Season’s Greetings Collection can help. We’ve put together lots of seasonal titles and content to winterize your gaming experience!

Updates
UNCHARTED: Eye of Indra Motion Comics 2, 3 and 4 Now Available in Canada ($0.99 each)

Downloadable Games
PixelJunk Shooter ($9.99)
Pilot a subterranean exploration vehicle to explore the interior of diverse cave-like complexes. The player must affect the surrounding and dynamic terrain to safely rescue survivors scattered about the cavernous environment. Both environmental elements and eniemies, including bosses will attempt to hamper the player’s progress.

Revenge of the Wounded Dragons ($9.99)
Come out with fists blazing in high-energy Kung-Fu style in Revenge of the Wounded Dragons, now on the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system! Your mission is double: Avenge your grandfather’s death and rescue your sister from the local mafia boss’ hands. Play single player mode or try special cooperative moves with a friend in a raging Kung-Fu battle of fists and weapons.

Frogger Returns ($4.99)
Frogger Returns takes the heart-pounding challenge of arcade Frogger and takes it into the next dimension! Classic top-down 2D gameplay is updated with colorful 3D graphics, a new perspective, all-new levels, new enemies and game-changing power-ups to dodge and use! Local multiplayer lets you race a friend to victory.

PSone Classics: PS3/PSP
Bomberman Party Edition ($5.99)
Have a blast in the party edition of the classic Bomberman game. Can you clear all 50 stages?

Game Demos (free)
topatoi Demo
topatoi for PlayStation 3 brings your screen to life with classic platforming gameplay over a variety of dynamic levels. Dynamic arcade gameplay, nimble enemies, amusing puzzles and Raph’s breathtaking adventures await you. Unlockable levels make game progress even more fun!

Dante’s Inferno Demo
Dante’s Inferno The Gates of Hell Demo – Discover an epic adventure based on the first part of Dante Alighieri’s masterpiece, “The Divine Comedy”. Playing as Dante, you must defeat Death and arm yourself with his scythe as you prepare to descend into the nine circles of Hell and rescue the soul of your beloved Beatrice from Lucifer himself.

Mushroom Wars Demo
Mushroom Wars is a fast-paced, accessible single and multiplayer RTS game with a quaint visual style that brings skirmish gameplay to the forefront. Battles of opposing tribes of Mushroom armies take place in close-quarters maps using simple, straight-forward controls against AI or friends. Short campaigns challenge players to take control of key strategic points. Conquest battles require complete annihilation of opponents.

Add-on Game Content
inFAMOUS Gigawatt Blades Power (free)
This exclusive inFAMOUS power transforms Cole’s hands into instruments of sheer destruction. Electric blades extend from his wrists, and a single blow annihilates any foe, sending them to their death. No other melee weapon in the game comes close to matching the ferocity of Gigawatt Blades.

High Velocity Bowling Ginger Character ($0.99)
It’s time to bowl – High Velocity style! Add Ginger from the hit PlayStation Network game PAIN to your High Velocity Bowling roster. Ginger is taking a break from breaking, and healing, bones in PAIN to join the HVB cast and knock down some pins instead. Download includes Ginger’s special ball “The Gimp,” plus the new Ginger’s Triage lane.

High Velocity Bowling Jarvis Character ($0.99)
It’s time to bowl – High Velocity style! Add Jarvis from the hit PlayStation Network game PAIN to your High Velocity Bowling roster. Jarvis is ready to knock some pins down for a change, rather than knocking himself out with a giant slingshot. Download includes Jarvis’s special ball “The Bruiser,” plus the new Crash Pad lane.

High Velocity Bowling Animal Patterns Ball Pack ($0.99)
It’s time to bowl – High Velocity style! Spice up your bowling game with this cool pack of six custom “Animal Patterns” theme bowling balls.

High Velocity Bowling Winter Holiday Ball Pack ($0.99)
It’s time to bowl – High Velocity style! Spice up your bowling game with this cool pack of six custom “Winter Holiday” theme bowling balls.

Dragon Ball: Raging Blast Alien Warriors Pack (free)
“Dragon Ball: Raging Blast” Character Pack #2 is now available! The second release is the “Alien Warriors Pack!” This pack contains Vegeta (Scouter), Raditz, Nappa, Zarbon and Dodoria! These wild fighters from outer space join the battles and heat things up! Show your skills in the ultimate battles against the earthlings!

The King of Fighters XII: Classic Pack ($1.99)
BGM Arrangement Packs for THE KING OF FIGHTERS XII now available! 10 tracks of the game’s BGM will be arranged in CLASSIC style.

The King of Fighters XII: Dance Pack ($4.99)
BGM Arrangement Packs for THE KING OF FIGHTERS XII now available!
10 tracks of the game’s BGM will be arranged in DANCE style.

The King of Fighters XII:Hard Rock Pack ($4.99)
BGM Arrangement Packs for THE KING OF FIGHTERS XII now available!
10 tracks of the game’s BGM will be arranged in HARD ROCK style.

The King of Fighters XII: Jazz Pack ($4.99)
BGM Arrangement Packs for THE KING OF FIGHTERS XII now available!
10 tracks of the game’s BGM will be arranged in JAZZ style.

Need For Speed Shift: Team Racing (free)
In Need For Speed Shift Team Racing players race together in teams of up to six versus six for the ultimate racing challenge. Look out for five amazing new cars which are available immediately for use online and in quick race, and from tier two in the career mode.

The Saboteur: The Midnight Show DLC ($2.99)
Welcome to the Midnight show! This content allows you to toggle the nudity in-game, opens up new hiding spots, mini-games, and 4 unique cinematics from the Belle de Nuit Burlesque girls.

PAIN: PAINBall Mode ($1.99)
The PAINBall mode challenges you to a slap-happy multiplayer showdown! Throw out everything you learned in typical sports and get ready for a mutant form of competition with new PAINful rules. Select your favorite launchee to slap your friends silly and get in their way of scoring. It sounds simple, but the makers of PAIN have littered the playing field with enough obstacles to make everyone say “Ooch”.

Guitar Hero 5
“All The Right Moves” by OneRepublic ($1.99)
“Everybody Loves Me” by OneRepublic ($1.99)
“Mercy” by OneRepublic ($1.99)
OneRepublic Track Pack ($5.49)
Rock Band
“Dreaming of Love”— Lights Resolve (free)
“I Am a Rock”— Simon & Garfunkel ($1.99)
“The Sounds of Silence”— Simon & Garfunkel ($1.99)
“Duality”— Slipknot ($1.99)
“Psychosocial”— Slipknot ($1.99)
“Sulfur”— Slipknot ($1.99)
Slipknot Pack 01 ($5.49)

Game Videos (free)
UNCHARTED 2: Among Thieves – Behind the Scenes Video 10
UNCHARTED 2: Among Thieves – Behind the Scenes Video 11
UNCHARTED 2: Among Thieves – Behind the Scenes Video 12
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Launch Trailer
Rogue Warrior Cinematic Trailer
Dante’s Inferno Game Trailer
Polar Panic Features Trailer
Polar Panic Gameplay Trailer
Puzzlegeddon
Revenge of the Wounded Dragons Trailer

Themes
PAIN: Elvira Theme (free)
PAIN: Flavor Flav Theme (free)
PAIN: Smooth Jarvis Theme (free)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Deployment Theme ($1.99)
Christmas Pinups Theme ($1.49)
Off The Beat Theme ($1.99)

Wallpaper (free)
Revenge of the Wounded Dragons Wallpaper 1
Revenge of the Wounded Dragons Wallpaper 2
Puzzlegeddon Wallpaper

PlayStation Store for PSP


Downloadable Games (also available from PS3 storefront) Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles ($14.99)
The legendary action game Castlevania: Rondo of Blood is reborn on the PSP system with incredible 3D graphics and timeless side scrolling gameplay in Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles. The first time Rondo of Blood has been released outside of Japan, Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles lets gamers take up the Vampire Killer whip as Richter Belmont as they seek to destroy the maniacal Dracula once and for all in this pivotal piece of the ongoing Castlevania saga. Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles also includes the original Rondo of Blood and Symphony of the Night games, delivering incredible gameplay and value while updating two of the most beloved video games of all time for a new generation of gamers.

Coded Arms ($9.99)
Coded Arms is a visually stunning first-person shooter that places the gamer in the role of a computer hacker who infiltrates an abandoned virtual reality system.

Death Jr. ($9.99)
When Death Jr. accidentally releases the evil Necromancer Moloch and his hoards of deranged demon-beasts to wreak havoc on the town, it’s time for some quick-thinking action from the son of the Grim one. Grab your scythe, an arsenal of guns, and your… self-guided C4 hamsters?… to hack, maim and destroy armies of mutant creatures and scavenge the souls of those you so innocently imperiled…and keep yourself out of military school.

Death Jr. 2 Root of Evil ($9.99)
Death Jr. and Pandora return in an all-new twisted adventure as they accidentally unleash Furi, a creature of nature hell-bent on becoming the ultimate evil! In order to stop Furi and her hordes of unnatural minions, DJ and Pandora must travers demented locales like the Toy Graveyard, the River Styx, and the Waffle House, home of the best acid syrup covered waffle in the World.

Dynasty Warriors Vol. 2 ($14.99)
Ancient China’s greatest warriors have rocked the foundations of heaven and earth for over 2,000 years. Now KOEI’s ‘Warriors Worth a Thousand’ return in a sequel that eclipses the original with an exquisite array of features!

Gradius Collection ($19.99)
A shooting fan’s dream come true! Gradius Collection 5 classic games from the Gradius Series, I, II, III, IV and the long awaited Gradius Gaiden!
ESRB Rated E
File size: 261 MB

Kurulin Fusion ($4.99)
Kurulin Fusion is an hypnotic blend of color, geometry, puzzle action and a futuristicsoundtrack featuring renowned Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu’s reimaginingof J.S. Bach. The game is easy to grasp–Fusion Blocks and Energy Orbs annihilateeach other if matching colors touch–but Arcade mode and Mission mode offer skill andstrategy challenges if you hope to achieve super scores.

Silent Hill: Origins ($14.99)
The renowned Silent Hill survival horror series makes its handheld gaming debut with a brand new adventure that reveals many of the series’ most hallowed secrets. Assuming the role of a lone truck driver trapped in Silent Hill while making a routine delivery, players must escape the city’s horrific inhabitants and confront the strange hallucinations that have haunted him since childhood. Taking full advantage of the PSP system’s graphics, sound, and portability, Silent Hill Origins set a new standard in handheld gaming terror.

PSP minis
Stand O’Food ($4.99)
Battle Poker ($2.99)

Add-on Game Content
Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce Pack 8 (free) (also available from PS3 storefront)
Quest Pack #8 – Dive into these brand new missions that will spice up your Strikeforce experience. Also includes all previous Quest Packs. To learn more about this pack and about Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce go towww.koei.com/strikeforce

Game Videos (free)
Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines Teaser Trailer 2 for 1 Mercury Bundle Trailer 2
Savage Moon: The Hera Campaign Trailer
The Secret Saturdays: Beasts of the 5th Sun Trailer

PSP Themes
Christmas Pinups PSP Theme 1 ($0.99) (also available from PS3 storefront)
Christmas Pinups PSP Theme 2 ($0.99) (also available from PS3 storefront)



Since it is the holiday season, I figured I would give everyone a present. That present is the latest mixtape from Tragedy, hailing from Chicago, Il.  I had never heard of him either but I got this in an email and upon listening, I was blown away. I have only listened twice so far so I cannot go into too much detail but after the jump I will post a quote from him/his camp as well as a download link.  THIS IS NOT SOMETHING TO MISS!!!

“Chicago MC Tragedy tha Beast hooks up with Chicago MC/Producer, and one-half of Black Table Committee, Infamous to bring you Music of the Mind. Tragedy lets you in on his life as he spits heartfelt yet lyrically potent verses over Infamous’ soulful, gritty production. With songs like (Intro) No Sunshine and I Can’t Take It Anymore, he displays the emotion of a young, black convicted felon trying to succeed in today’s society. On songs like The Rain and Casual Sex Tragedy shows love to the ladies over Inf’s smooth, seductive production while giving an insightful history lesson on No More Heroes. Fellow “Collective” members Black Table Committe, and BOSclique brethren QG lend helping hands on the tracks Call The Law and Stand A Chance. At the end of the day, Music of the Mind is an impressive showcase of Infamous’ production and Tragedy’s pen game. Special shout out to Infamous & Jean-Yus, F.A.B.L.E., BOSclique, WDTH and the F.A.C.T.I.O.N. Don’t be scared, it’s just that Music of the Mind…”

Music of the Mind – DOWNLO@D

Playstation exclusive InFamous has reached 1.2 million in sales. As a result to the new sales milestone a new low price of 39.99 has been announce. It may not be Greatest Hits priced but its a new low price. I recommend picking up this game because of its entertaining gameplay and comic style story. Hit the break to see some videos and a gallery of images.

]]> http://randominatrix.wordpress.com/2009/12/05/wait-here-for-the-next-available-blog-post/ Sat, 05 Dec 2009 01:36:19 +0000 rfbellamie http://randominatrix.wordpress.com/2009/12/05/wait-here-for-the-next-available-blog-post/

Lately, I am at my most angry while waiting in line. Not because every establishment is understaffed, making the wait a bit longer. It’s because I’m always stuck behind an ass belch like you. Unfortunately, many places – courthouses and banks, for example – are guarded by balding men with guns. Even I dare not whip out a cudgel in the presence of such capable warriors. But it’s not hard to find out where you live, beef dangle, so stop pissing me off.

When the fuck did knowing someone who’s stupid enough to get caught become a topic of interest? If you’re reloading a penal calling card or sending money so your baby-daddy can get the precious USA Golds that will keep his asshole relatively virginal, shut the fuck up about it. Do your business quietly and get out of the way. Don’t ask the clerk if he knows how the program works, wax ignorantly about the unfairness of the justice system, or complain that your new boyfriend doesn’t want to put his name on Mr. Crackhead’s fetus when it finally emerges. Nobody gives a rat’s ass how trashy your life is. Go back to your gutter where no one has to look at you.

And how hard is it to take your ID out of your wallet? If that clear sleeve is too tight, don’t put the card there, fucksteak. You are completely unremarkable. Unless you have a distinctive facial tattoo, the teller will not remember you. And even if your odor is infamous, she still has to see your license. Pull it out and hand it to her. Don’t bitch about how inconvenient it is or demand to know what features have to be confirmed. And if you do somehow convince her to accept a dirty, half-hidden card with major damage, remember that I’m right behind you. I’m going to follow you to the parking lot, beat the shit out of you, take your paycheck, come back in and cash it with my ID. And guess what? She won’t check, just like you wanted. Asshole.

I’m a great supporter of public cell phone use. I have to keep the 1-900 girls in my ear at all times to drown out the chatter of the cow cunts around me. Otherwise, I’d get blood on my brand new blouse. (Six bucks at Ross, by the way.) But if I hear you above the moaning, you’re fair game. I don’t want to listen to you arguing with the married guy you’ve been spreading for because he doesn’t want to marry you. Newsflash. You’re not worth the cost of the cubic zirconia. I also don’t want to hear about how little Billy needs a bone marrow transplant or the great new church that’s opening where the university used to be. Muffle your cum sucker long enough to make your transaction and get the fuck out. If I remove and gently fold my new cotton-blend treasure, you’re already dead.

Basic manners and a sense of pride – and shame – should already be instilled by the time you reach adulthood. Children should be given a yearlong test when they reach puberty. If you can’t say something nice, or nothing at all, we cut out your voice box and give you a little notepad. If you can’t keep your fluids to yourself, you’re gently guided into the Castrotronic 5000. On the other end, eunuchs and potted meat products emerge.  If you can’t stand single-file and keep from being a flaming douchebag for fifteen minutes, you fail life and get to fucking die.

So, I haven’t posted in a while. To be perfectly honest, school happened, along with other issues, including finally playing inFamous. In this game, you essentially play as a flawed comic book character who can either act like a generally good guy, or as the bitter, power-hungry anti-hero, depending on your choices in game. As I’m prone to do, I decided to play as a decent human being, trying to save the city one person at a time, etc. As I got about 2/3 of the way through the game, I came to a simple conclusion: the general civilian population is dumb.

Now, I don’t mean dumb as in “voted for the wrong presidential candidate” dumb, or “2 + 2 = 5″ dumb, or “buying a 500 dollar PS3 two weeks before a 200 dollar price drop” dumb. No, I mean “running directly into my line of fire” dumb. As an unarmed civilian in a combat zone, there are 5 different things you can do when looking at a firefight: you can run to the left of it, to the right of it, in the opposite direction of it, remain immobile, or RUN DIRECTLY INTO IT. I gave these civilians the benefit of the doubt. I assumed that if a civilian sees a firefight between crazy homeless drug addicts and a guy who can shoot lightning from his hands, that said civilian would pick one of the four options that wouldn’t get him or herself killed. I gave them too much credit, apparently.

Now, the penalty for killing a civilian isn’t really a penalty…unless you’re trying to be a goody-twoshoes like me. I mean, how do you save someone who’s clearly suicidal or clinically insane when you’re trying to fight off 14 hobos armed with assault rifles? I guess all I’m really asking for developers to do is to restore my faith in the civilian population by making virtual civilians smarter in their games. Please?

Was at Uni today, doing my usual listening intently in lectures when a sly person creeps in the back.
Who else is it but long lost uni dodger Matt McKeown.
Me and Matt do the same base course but I’ve not seen the guy in over 3 weeks, it was a welcome surprise!

That was about my day. After Uni at 2 I ate dinner (Lunch to your posh southern folk) then slept. Either the 10 weeks of 9am starts on weekdays and 5am bedtimes finally caught up with me or the hot dogs and garlic bread was so nice it put me to sleep.

That summarises my day, I’m going to watch some House Season 3 then Transformers 1 after my lady and I eat a meal almost as nice as her of BBQ Chicken, Mash and Spahetti.

Finally to gripe, 5 friends on Facebook are fans of ‘Im from bradford…where’s that?….next to leeds…oh ok’
It annoys me, I can’t even begin to explain why but my angry veins are bulging out.

Okay so last night I went to New York City for a hockey game, and needed something to read on the long train ride home. I went into the many book and magazine stores in Penn Station, scoping out the video game magazines. They didn’t have Game Informer, and I sure wasn’t reading Nintendo Power. The only independent magazine sitting on the crowded shelves was GamePro.

On the cover reads “24 of the Best Games in 2009 Reviewed.” That basically means their top 25 games on the year, but in no particular order really. I’m going to give my opinion of all of them, being that I was able to play a majority of them. Here goes.

Dead Space Extraction for the Wii- Well I was wrong, I didn’t play that, nor have I played Halo: ODST or Halo Wars for the Xbox 360 yet.

Infamous! I played that, and I have to say, I did like it. It just got too annoying, as the reviewer, in this case Tae K. Kim, states. The number one issue I had with this game was the enemies and their ability to sharp shoot from the tops of buildings and be dead right now. It annoyed the hell out of me. Other than that though, it had a cool story, and was a lot of fun to just explore the city, and what it had to offer.

Little King’s Story for the Wii is another I haven’t played, but one that I’m dying to check out. If I still had a Wii, or if I buy one in the future, is one that I would have or will be checking out. It looks like a blast, especially since I love Pikmin.

Madden 10- ya played one, you played em all. The NHL series is by far the best sports series out there.

As far as I know, MadWorld on the Wii got decent reviews from reviewers and gamers alike, but didn’t sell much, which is sad. I don’t know much about this one either, because again, I don’t have a Wii.

Prototype was a mixed bag for me. The enemies got annoying, as did the missions, but I had a BLAST just destroying the city up, and messing around with it, much like I enjoy with the Grand Theft Auto series. It was more fun than InFamous though. And more violent, which is great.

Red Faction: Guerrilla was another I didn’t play. Man, maybe I should re-write the statement about me playing a majority of these titles…

Resident Evil 5 was a game I owned, but played twice and returned. I’ve learned that the R.E. series just isn’t for me. I don’t like that you can’t move and shoot at the same time. What is up with that? Cool story though, and the game looked amazing.

Scribblenauts was the most confusing for me to be on this list. The magazine gave it five-stars, yet I haven’t heard anything good about it from people I talk to. Can this be a case of bias video game journalism? In the writer’s defense, he does bring up that the controls are horrible, which they are. I’m getting this one for Christmas- it came today to be exact- but I have played a downloaded version, and did enjoy it.

Street Fighter IV. I can’t really comment on this one to be honest. I do own, and have played a little of it, but I’m just terrible at it. It’s another game that I’ve talked to people who really didn’t care for it. And they were S.F. enthusiasts. The magazine on the other hand, gave it five-stars.

Possibly my favorite game of 2009, UFC Undisputed 2009 deserves to be on this list. It’s a great all-around fighter, whether you enjoy the sport of Mixed Martial Arts or not. You have to appreciate the amount of detail put into each fighter, and the massive amount of dialogue the commentators are stocked with. The best part is that this is THQ’s first offering with the UFC brand. Next year should be even better.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves makes me think I may have spoken to soon throwing out the ‘my favorite game of the year’ line. This game was just amazing on all fronts. It had action, it had story, it had those moments that made you say “holy shit” after you picked your jaw off from your dirty carpet. It has everything a gamer can ask for in a game. Even a really hot chick. Oh, and did I mention a killer multiplayer? This is the best PlayStation 3 exclusive on the market. Hands down.

My sentimental favorite of the year is Beatles: Rockband. This game has done more than just make parties that much funner. It has introduced the Fab Four’s legacy to an entirely new generation of fans (myself included). It’s more than just a Rockband game. It makes you feel like you’re playing a piece of history, even if you’re still holding a plastic guitar.

I didn’t play Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood, and don’t know much about it.

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars on the DS is a game I downloaded, and did enjoy what I played. I liked the design of it, going for more of a cartoon/comic book approach, rather than it’s normal, realistic look. It’s nice to see some mature titles go to any Nintendo system, especially the DS. It’s also being ported to the PSP, so check it out.

Guitar Hero 5 is a game I haven’t played, along with Half-Minute Hero on the PSP. The latter is on my games I gotta check out list. GH5 isn’t.

Everything else on the list are games I haven’t played, but I’ll list them for you guys: Ninja Blade (played demo, and liked it), Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, Patapon 2 (liked the first one, may check this one out once the price drops), Punch-Out on the Wii, Sims 3 (played a little at my girlfriends house, and it’s much of the same) and WWE Smackdown v. Raw 2009 is the same game as last year I’m sure.

Okay so there you have it. So I didn’t play MOST of the games, but I was able to check out the heavy hitters this year.

Do you guys agree with their list? Tell me why or why not in the comments!

IT GOT pretty quiet around Rodney Hide since he paid back the money he spent on his infamous super-city-trip, but yet again a politician is in the limelight after a questionable overseas trip.

The debate about Hone Harawira and his email exchange with a member of the New Zealand public, in which he justified a private trip after skipping a tax payer-funded conference goes on for about a month now.

WORTH A TRIP? - Europe is a common destination for our politicians' big overseas experience (pic: art.com)

Instead of staying with an official delegation and attending a taxpayer-funded meeting in Brussels, Harawira had gone on a private trip to Paris.

Former Waitangi Tribunal director Buddy Mikaere approached Harawira via email on this matter – and got a rather unpleasant response.

TVNZ uses the term “strongly worded” to describe the reply Mr Mikaera got, the New Zealand Herald calls it an “angry email”.

Fact is: you needed almost as many blank-out-stars like this * as actual letters, if you wanted to display the context…

But “star”-struck displays in all leading media outlets and accusations of having made racist comments when reacting to the emails (referring to Pakeha as “white motherf.******”) were not the only results, Harawira’s actions led to.

The Maori Party announced to consider his future while Harawira was banned from Parliament for the last two weeks.

RENEGADE: Hone Harawira's emails are "star"-struck (pic:spasifikmag.com)

An apology made by Hone Harawira this week was welcomed by Mr Mikaere, who does not expect a “personal sorry”, the NZ Herald reports.

Harawira has made clear his intention to stay with the Maori Party, but a decision has yet to be made by his Tai Tokerau electorate and the Maori Party on whether he should resign. – read more

In a column, published in the Northland Age and displayed on the Maori Party’s website, Hone Harawira gives us more insight in his email inbox:

-Here’s a ‘love letter’ I got in the email. Enjoy it. I did.

“Dear Grim Reaper,

This year you have taken my favourite male actor, Patrick Swayze. You also took my favourite female actor, Farrah Fawcett Major, and my favourite entertainer and dancer, Michael Jackson.

I want to be sure you know that Hone Harawira is my favourite politician. Thanks.”-

 

 

- read the whole column here

- read more about the “angry email” between Harawira and Mikaere here

- watch a TVNZ clip on why Mr Mikaere went public with the emails here

~VIDEO GAME NEWS~

Take Two: GTA doesn’t have to be an annualized franchise
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Tim Shafer Brutal Legend Interview
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New Super Mario Bros Wii sells over 420k first day in Japan
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Bioware introduces ‘Gift of the Yeti’
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Assassin’s Creed 2 glitch breaks game
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FTC: Game industry best regulated of all entertainment sectors
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NPD: 82% of children are gamers
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Mass Effect 2 in 2 discs
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White Knight Chronicles International Edition Feb 2
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Dynasty Warriors Online to have 24 player battles
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EA: Wii is Confounding to People
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Boderlands sequel to be call Borderworlds
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Uncharted 2 experimental multiplayer weekend
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THQ to have new dev studio in Montreal
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Microsoft announces Lips
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Playstation 15th anniversary
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Phoenix Wright ported to iphone
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Star Trek Online collector’s edition
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MGS: Peace Walker dated for UK
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Games for Windows Live getting Games on Demand
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Grand Turismo 5 demo coming Dec 17
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EA stands by Tiger Woods
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EA Sports launches Visa card
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Infamous now Playstation 3 Greatest Hits
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Saboteur day one DLC
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New costumes in Playstation Home
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Famitsu gives Modern Warfare 39
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Final Fantasy XIII Tokyo Ad gallery
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Retailer lists games that failed to meet expectations in 09
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Mass Effect 2 interview
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EA: Digital market to take over next year
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PSP go UMD add-on
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Heavy Rain dated in Japan
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EA = fewer titles, more digital distribution
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Dreamworks extends THQ video game deal
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Mirror’s edge leaping to iphone
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Final Fantasy XII Zack to appear in KH: Birth by sleep
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Man finishes World of Warcraft
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Aonuma: The Legacy of Zelda Interview
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Metal of Honor goes Modern
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Dan Hsu and Demian Linn rejoining EGM
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Pets coming to XBL
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Final Fantasy XIII 50-60 hours long
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Direct 2 Drive 24 hours of Christmas Sale
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Bayonetta pre order bonus for UK
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Bungie now hiring
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Game Companies going green with new cases
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Assassin’s creed II DLC
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DICE speakers announced
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Sonic Classic Collection for DS
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Standalone DJ hero turntable controller $70
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ESRB launches iphone app
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Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker dated for March 18 2010
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Fist of North Star Musou set for March
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Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony Black Friday console sales stats
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Dante’s Inferno Demo PS3 timed exclusive
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Final Fantasy XIII box art
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Cid revealed in Final Fantasy XIII
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Nintendo sells more than 1.5million hardware units during holiday weekend
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Prince of Persia writer wins Writers’ Guild of Great Britain award
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Nokia demos retro emulators games in commericals
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Microsoft’s Gates Subpoenaed in RROD Suit
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Sonic Relief 2010 ideas wanted
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Ubisoft planning 10 games for Natal, 4-5 for PS Motion controller
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Battlefield: Bad Company 2 PC Beta Delayed
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New Prince of Persia Announced
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Nintendo: Wii Sales up 85% since price reduction
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Media Molecule won BAFTA awards
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HMV drops PSPgo price to 148.99 GBP in UK
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Amazon Germany lists Yakuza 3
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Xbox Live on iphone and Ipod Touch
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Bill Gates on Natal
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New Challenges for Nintendo
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Link take to the skies in next Zelda
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Nintendo investigating possible copyright infringement by Nokia
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Free Dragon Ball Raging Blast DLC
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Final Fantasy XIII commercials kick off
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Final Fantasy XII JP back of the box details
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Microsoft: Natal as next TV remote
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Robin Williams named his daughter Zelda based off VG series
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Ubisoft on 3d gaming
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King of Fighters live action movie
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Alone in the Dark 2 movie sequel to DVD
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Splinter Cell Conviction co-op confirmed
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Eidos: Thief 4 coming in ‘leaps and bounds’
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Xbox 360 iplayer launch delay
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A serial killer is on the loose and the body count is rising as young, innocent victims are found…mutilated by the mark of the legendary Jack the Ripper. Journey back to 1888 as Assistant Chief Constable of London’s Scotland Yard on a manhunt to stop the brutal slayings. Use the most revolutionary technology of the era to gather evidence and stop the infamous criminal!

Experience Victorian England!

Put Your Investigative Skills To The Test!

Be A Member Of Scotland Yard!

Can You Reveal The Identity of Jack The Ripper?

System Requirements:

OS: Windows XP,Windows Vista

Memory: 512 MB

CPU: P600

It Takes Just A second To Say Thanks,

It Takes Longer To The Work On This.

Real Crimes: Jack The Ripper

Infamous nació a travez de la desarrolladora Sucker Punch, un título exclusivo para PlayStation 3. Donde nos muestran las aventuras de Cole McGrath. Gracias a su gran acogida que tuvo tanto en las críticas como en el público, ya se hablaba de una posible secuela para Infamous. Y es que varios actores afirmaron que participaron en un casting de voz para Infamus 2. Incluso, el actor David Sullivan, a travez de Twitter, se puede llegar a ver sobre este casting de voz.

Aunque no esté confirmado oficialmente, era ya de pensar de que Sucker Punch preparase una secuela para este videojuego, no solo por la gran acogida que recibió en la PlayStation 3, si no por su argumento, gráficos, y demás cosas que lo hacen un gran juego para todos los gustos.

Es solo cuestión de tiempo a que la desarrolladora confirme el desarrollo de este secuela, aunque de momento no hay novedades sobre el asunto.

Saludos.

SoulKaiser.

Fuente.